Kitui Women Representative and gubernatorial hopeful, Dr. Irene Kasalu, has broken her silence on the escalating power battles at the County Assembly of Kitui, calling for unity among Members of County Assembly (MCAs) even as Speaker Kevin Kinengo Katisya faces renewed impeachment pressure.
Speaking today while addressing mourners at Kitunduini Village, Matinyani Ward in Kitui West Constituency—the home turf of Hon. Sylvester Kitheka Munyalo (Yaamu), the mover of the impeachment motion against the Speaker—Kasalu urged leaders to put aside their differences for the sake of service delivery. She was attending the burial of Magdalene Kanyiva Musili, who passed on at the blessed age of 104 years.
Kasalu warned that the ongoing wrangles, which saw 11 MCAs suspended by the Speaker just a day after tabling a revised impeachment motion signed by over 30 members, are damaging Kitui’s political image. She called out the Speaker and other leaders to resolve the mess without delay.
“Tuwache aibu ndogo ndogo kama County Assembly, sisi tumewaonyesha example kama Members of the National Assembly, tushikane. We are not happy when we see our Assembly divided,” Kasalu said, urging MCAs to shun divisive politics and rally together.
She further noted that the protracted battle paints a grim picture of bad governance and lack of leadership, arguing it undermines the Wiper Party, which enjoys majority control of the Assembly. Kasalu emphasized that at a time when Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka is eyeing the presidency in 2027, internal divisions risk weakening the party’s political base.
“A divided house is a defiled house politically. We cannot afford such fights when our people expect service delivery,” she stressed.
Kasalu also delivered a message of hope, paying tribute to Mama Magdalene’s long life:
“Mama Magdalene’s journey is a testimony of God’s grace, resilience, and the strength of our people. Longevity is a gift, and a life well lived leaves behind lessons of faith, love, and unity. To the people of Kitui, may this serve as a reminder that despite life’s challenges, our roots and values can sustain us for generations.”
Political storm at the Assembly
Her remarks come against the backdrop of rising tensions at the Assembly. On July 9, during Governor Dr. Julius Malombe’s State of the County Address, scuffles broke out among MCAs, leading to accusations of misconduct. But Speaker Kinengo only acted months later—suspending 11 MCAs, many of whom are allied to Wiper—shortly after they fronted a fresh impeachment motion against him.
The Speaker justified the suspensions on grounds of disorderly conduct, abusive language, and breach of Assembly decorum. Yet insiders and legal analysts argue the timing suggests a calculated move to weaken the impeachment process. Out of the 11 suspended members, several are signatories to the impeachment, including Hon. Sylvester Munyalo, who is the mover of the motion.
Critics now question whether the suspensions undermine representation, leaving entire wards without a voice in the Assembly for 90 days. Legal experts also suggest the MCAs could seek judicial redress, as courts have previously intervened in disputes where suspensions were seen to trample on constitutional rights of representation.
In heated WhatsApp exchanges circulating among Kitui political circles, Munyalo launched a scathing attack on the Speaker, declaring:
“People crushed by misuse of laws have no hope but to evade power. If the laws are their enemies, they will be enemies to the law; and those who have most to hope and nothing to lose will always be dangerous. When people do not feel they have a place at the table, they turn it over. Defiance against tyrants like Kinengo is OBEDIENCE TO GOD.”
He went further to add:
“Whoever looks at Kitui County Assembly can see very well that the ship is powered by stupidity, corruption, or prejudice.”
A House on the edge
This is the second impeachment motion brought against Speaker Kinengo, after the first was dismissed on procedural grounds. The revised notice of motion—now backed by over 30 MCAs out of the Assembly’s 40-plus membership—has dramatically heightened tensions, with analysts warning that the Speaker’s survival is no longer guaranteed.
During a retreat with the Executive in Mombasa on September 3, Kinengo admitted he was aware of the impeachment plots, vowing to fight them both “legally and politically.” He also called for closer ties between the Executive and Assembly, dismissing impeachment talk as a distraction from service delivery.
But with Kasalu now publicly weighing in, calling for peace and warning of the political cost of disunity, the wrangles at the County Assembly have spilled beyond the chamber—shaping into a battle with far-reaching consequences for Wiper’s dominance in Kitui and the county’s political future.
